Preliminary development of a revised version of the School Climate Measure.

The School Climate Measure (SCM) was developed and preliminarily validated in 2010 and extended upon in 2013 in response to a dearth of psychometrically sound school climate instruments. This study sought to further validate the SCM on a large diverse sample of Arizona public school adolescents (N = 1,643) with two new domains. The eight original SCM domains (Positive Student-Teacher Relationships, School Connectedness, Academic Support, Order and Discipline, Physical Environment, Social Environment, Perceived Exclusion, and Academic Satisfaction) and two newly developed domains (Parental Involvement and Opportunities for Student Engagement) were subjected to psychometric analysis. The sample was randomly split into exploratory and confirmatory halves and subjected to factor analytic and structural equation modeling techniques. Factor analysis confirmed a 10-factor solution (loadings with absolute values > .40). Item factor loadings ranged from .47 to .95. Coefficient alphas ranged from .70 to .92. Fit statistics indicated a good fitting model (χ2 = 1452.67 [df = 734, p < .01], CFI = .94, TLI = .93, RMSEA = .039). This process eliminated some original SCM items, but the overall SCM increased only from 39 to 42 items with the newly developed domains. This investigation adds to the existing evidence for the SCM and offers support for a more comprehensive version of the SCM. The addition of the Parental Involvement and Opportunities for Student Engagement domains should further enhance the usefulness of the SCM. The SCM can facilitate data-driven decisions and may be incorporated into evidenced-based processes designed to improve important student learning and well-being outcomes.

Psychometric support of the school climate measure in a large, diverse sample of adolescents: a replication and extension.

BACKGROUND: The School Climate Measure (SCM) was developed and validated in 2010 in response to a dearth of psychometrically sound school climate instruments. This study sought to further validate the SCM on a large, diverse sample of Arizona public school adolescents (N = 20,953). METHODS: Four SCM domains (positive student-teacher relationships, academic support, order and discipline, and physical environment) were available for the analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were established to construct validity, and criterion-related validity was assessed via selected Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) school safety items and self-reported grade (GPA) point average. RESULTS: Analyses confirmed the 4 SCM school climate domains explained approximately 63% of the variance (factor loading range .45-.92). Structural equation models fit the data well χ(2) = 14,325 (df = 293, p < .001), comparative fit index (CFI) = .951, Tuker-Lewis index (TLI) = .952, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .05). The goodness-of-fit index was .940. Coefficient alphas ranged from .82 to .93. Analyses of variance with post hoc comparisons suggested the SCM domains related in hypothesized directions with the school safety items and GPA. CONCLUSIONS: Additional evidence supports the validity and reliability of the SCM. Measures, such as the SCM, can facilitate data-driven decisions and may be incorporated into evidenced-based processes designed to improve student outcomes.

The brief multidimensional students' life satisfaction scale-college version.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the psychometric properties of the BMSLSS-College among 723 college students. METHODS: Internal consistency estimates explored scale reliability, factor analysis explored construct validity, and known-groups validity was assessed using the National College Youth Risk Behavior Survey and Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study. Criterion-related validity was explored through analyses with the CDC's health-related quality of life scale and a social isolation scale. RESULTS: Acceptable internal consistency reliability, construct, known-groups, and criterion-related validity were established. CONCLUSIONS: Findings offer preliminary support for the BMSLSS-C; it could be useful in large-scale research studies, applied screening contexts, and for program evaluation purposes toward achieving Healthy People 2010 objectives.

Testing the feasibility of developmental asset measures on college students to guide health promotion efforts.

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the reliability and validity of eight developmental asset measures among a stratified, random sample (N = 540) of college students to guide health promotion efforts. The sample was randomly split to produce exploratory and confirmatory samples for factor analysis using principal axis factoring and varimax rotation and structural equation modeling techniques. Items were retained on factors if they had high loadings greater than .40 and were not complex. Concurrent validity was examined among substance use (including alcohol and tobacco) and sexual risk-taking variables. Exploratory and confirmatory samples did not differ on demographics. Parallel analysis confirmed the eight theorized constructs. Exploratory factor loadings were greater than .40. Concurrently, validity analyses were in the predicted direction. Cronbach alphas were .70 or greater with the exception of the Future Aspirations asset. Preliminary analyses support the reliability and validity of measuring developmental assets among emerging adults. Implications and potential uses are discussed.

Water quality trends and changing agricultural practices in a midwest U.S. watershed, 1994-2006.

Sediment and nutrient concentrations in surface water in agricultural regions are strongly influenced by agricultural activities. In the Corn Belt, recent changes in farm management practices are likely to affect water quality, yet there are few data on these linkages at the landscape scale. We report on trends in concentrations of N as ammonium (NH(4)) and nitrate (NO(3)), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), and suspended sediment (SS) in three Corn Belt streams with drainage areas of 12 to 129 km(2) for 1994 through 2006. During this period, there has been an increase in conservation tillage, a decline in fertilizer use, and consolidation of animal feeding operations in our study watersheds and throughout the Corn Belt. We use an autoregressive moving average model to include the effects of discharge and season on concentrations, LOWESS plots, and analyses of changes in the relation between discharge and concentration. We found significant declines in mean monthly concentrations of NH(4) at all three streams over the 13-yr period, declines in SRP and SS in two of the three streams, and a decline in NO(3) in one stream. When trend coefficients are converted to percent per year and weighted by drainage, area changes in concentration are -8.5% for NH(4), -5.9% for SRP, -6.8% for SS, and -0.8% for NO(3). Trends in total N and P are strongly tied to trends in NO(3), SRP, and SS and indicate that total P is declining, whereas total N is not.

Reliability of the 2005 middle school Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the reliability of the middle school version of the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (MSYRBS) questionnaire. METHODS: A convenience sample of 232 Midwestern seventh and eighth grade middle school students completed the MSYRBS questionnaire twice in a 2-week period (14 days apart). The MSYRBS questionnaire, which queries a variety of health risk behaviors, was administered in a manner that preserved anonymity but allowed Time 1 and Time 2 matching. This was accomplished by using two questionnaire scantrons coded with the same unique number, and destroying all used materials to ensure that each participant was matched with their code. Kappa statistics were calculated for individual questions and group characteristics using SAS. RESULTS: The mean kappa was 62.6% and the median was 66.5%. Kappa statistics for each item ranged from -2.4% (injection drug use) to 83.8% (suicide contemplation). Negative kappa values were found for two items that had extremely small cell sizes. Kappas did not differ by gender, grade, or race. Based on nonoverlapping confidence intervals, there were no items that had significantly different prevalence estimates at Time 1 vs. Time 2. Nine items (24.3%) and one category (alcohol-drugs) had kappas below 61.0%. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study suggests that the reliability of the MSYRBS is high over time. A number of items should be further examined to determine whether they should be amended or omitted from future versions of the MSYRBS. Further research with larger and more diverse samples is recommended, potentially involving children as content experts.

Native language predictors of foreign language proficiency and foreign language aptitude.

Fifty-four students were tested at specific time intervals over 10 years to determine best native language (NL) predictors of oral and written foreign language (FL) proficiency and FL aptitude. All participants completed two years of Spanish, French, or German. Each was administered measures of NL literacy, oral language, and cognitive ability in elementary school. A measure of FL aptitude was administered at the beginning of ninth grade and FL proficiency was evaluated at the end of the 10th grade. Among the variables, NL literacy measures were the best predictors of FL proficiency, and NL achievement and general (verbal) intelligence were strong predictors of FL aptitude. Results suggest that indices of NL literacy as early as first grade are related to FL proficiency and FL aptitude nine and 10 years later. Findings provide strong support for connections between L1 and L2 skills, and for speculation that "lower level" skills in phonological processing are important for written language development and oral proficiency in a FL.

Validation of the brief multidimensional students' life satisfaction scale among college students.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the psychometric properties of the BMSLSS among 522 college students. METHODS: Internal consistency reliability explored scale reliability, factor analysis explored construct validity, known-groups validity was assessed by use of items from the National College Youth Risk Behavior Survey and Harvard National Survey of Alcohol Use, and criterion-related validity was explored through analyses with the CDC's Health-Related Quality of Life Scale. RESULTS: Acceptable internal consistency reliability, construct, known-groups, and criterion-related validity were established. CONCLUSIONS: These findings offer preliminary support for the BMSLSS; it could serve as part of comprehensive evaluations of subjective QOL for program evaluation and/or policy purposes among college students.